The president of Chile’s Fruit Growers Federation (Fedefruta) says the country’s drought situation ‘is more critical than is believed’ for avocado, citrus, table grape, pear and kiwi farmers, according to newspaper Diario Financiero.

Fedefruta president Antonio Walker told the newspaper the impact was concentrated in the Coquimbo and Valparaiso regions.

“A lower yield per hectare and poorer fruit conditions have been observed, which mainly affect the size,” he was quoted as saying.

“All mineral elements are carried by water, so badly watered plants have water stress which affects their quality.

“We are just in February, and with La Niña set in until June, it is expected that the situation will become critical too for the VI (O’Higgins) and VII (Maule) regions.”

The country’s Fruit Development Foundation (FDF), following information from market research group SimFRUIT, told the newspaper that avocado production in the Valparaiso region could fall 50% in some areas as a result of the drought.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com